The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-11-30
PAST AND FUTURE POLICIES.
A Talk with Senator John
Sherman on Questions Of
the Hour.
In National Politics Republicans Should
Not Be Timd, but Earnestly
Aggressive.
Truth About the Tariff, Suffrage In
the South, and the Treasury
Surplus.


Enquirer, visited Senator John Sherman at
his home in Mansfield, Ohio, just before
that gentleman left for Washington, and
interviewed him at length, from which We
extract the following:
Fortunate in finding Mr.. Sherman Mt
home when l made my cali, / was shown
into his library, where he was busy with his
mail-just such room as one given to
study would covet, every wall laden with
shelves of books alternated with historic
prints, and here and there profiles of men
distinguished in American and European
public life. 1t required no opening pass to
have my mission known. l had come to
get his views, and frankly said SO, and with
out reserve Mr.. Sherman gave them.
asked MIR. Sherman first how he interpreted
the lessons of the recent elections in the
several States, to which he answered
II think the New York election has set
tied the denomination Of Grover Cleve-
land, and the Republicans will be called
upon to make a nomination to meet that
alternative. do not say who the nominee
will be, yet Il do not think the loss of
New York last week TO the Republicans
should be dispirting. In the tremendous
vote cast, the Democratic nominee re-
ceived many Republican votes among the
brewing interests. Again, the campaign, in
my Judgment, was not conducted as it
| should have BEEN"
with respect to whatp" / asked.
"To Begin" replied the Senator, "there
seems to be too much timidity among the
New York Republicans. They speak in
undertones, as IL afraid an aggressiveness
might offend somebody. 1 have q simple
| platform: First, the protection Of American
industries, and second the count of the
vote fairly as cast in the Southern States
! For one, l would not join in general
| defamation of The Southern section. / am
willing to forget the war and forgive those
who participated in it, but the time has now
come, in my judgment, to protect the col
ored men of the South in their political
rights; to have their votes fairly counted
and delivered.
How do you propose to accomplish
| this?"
1T con easily be DONE" said the Senator.
u take the broad ground that the Congress
| Of the United States now has the power,
under the Constitution, to supervise the
vote cast in every State for members OF
Congress and for all offices which are ma
tional. Let me amplify. Section of ar
ticle l of the Constitution says: The
times, places, and manner of holding
elections for Senators and Representatives
shall be prescribed In each State by the
Legislature thereof, but the Congress may
at any time by law make or alter such reg
ulations, except as to the place of choos-
ing Senator's.
Now, what can be clearer under this
section Of the Constitution? 1t is wholly
within the power of Congress to provide
the machinery for fair election in the
South. 1t is VIGOROUSLY known that the
negro vote of the South is not counted
where it is prejudical to Democratic re-
suits, l think the time has now come for
Congress to assert its authority. l would
have boards of election to see that the
vote in every State, North and South was
fairly counted. l would have the expenses
of such boards paid out of the National
Treasury, and would have their duties spe-
officially prescribed by Congress. When ]
said little while ago that the New York
Republicans were cowardly in the conduct
of their campaigns, had reference to this
very thing. / think the deprivation of the
negro vote in the South should have bsen
an issue in the campaign and a commanding
issue. ! made it in Ohio, and it ought to
be the feature at the approaching session
of Congress-"
then asked Mr.. Sherman, in view of
his declaration that the negro vote was not
counted, if it was not after all q political
mistake In q party sense to have enfran-
chised the negro.
Sometimes think so" was the reply.
81 don't know, after all, but that it would
have been better for the negro if his rights
had been planted wholly on the fourteenth
amendment to the Constitution. 1t would
then have been no object to have denied
him his vote, for in such event the basis of
representation would have been reduced;
Again, under the fourteenth amendment,
Congress, as it was directed in its final
sentence, could have enforced, by appro-
pirate legislation, its provisions.
Next I discussed with the Senator the
Democratic administration. Said 1: mir.
Sherman, do you regard it strong in any
essential sense?"
Not at ALL" said he. "What has il
done? 1t is merely drifting along. 1t has
developed no policy of craftsmanship. In
its financial policy it's following only il
the footsteps of the Republicans. 1t has
not stamped itself upon the public mind
by any act calculated to win applause. II
merely swims along"
And yet," interrupted, II find in my
travels that there is a concensus of opinion
that President Cleveland is strong with the
people,.
EYES," said he, L can account for that
The President is dogmatic and domineer-
ing in his ways. He snubs his Cabine,
and the public men In the Democratic lines
The people like him for this. I rather
think, after all, the people enjoy it wher
the public men are snubbed. Mr.. Cleve-
land, in his obstinate way. has done a 0oot
deal of snubbing, and 1 think the people
like him for the liberal manner in which h,
has done it"
Would you, as Secretary Of the Treas.
ury," queried, have operated to aid Wal
street rs did Secretary Fairchild?'
Il would not. There have been som,
features of the administration of the Treas
ury which had / exercised when at its hea(
would have heaped upon me an avalanche
of Democratic criticism. But had beer
at its head / would never have permitted
the present surplus TO have accumulated
] would have gone into the market am
bought the bonds and kept the money il
circulation. Right here, however, he add
ed, "let me be trihe elaborate. The pres
ent surplus in the Treasury is not so large
as the people think it is. Because thu
books of the United States Treasury show
certain amount on hand people think tina
the amount thus represented all belongs L
the General Government. This is mis-
take. For instance, of the amount On hanC